


Denial

by arpita



Category: Baahubali (Movies)
Genre: F/M, What Was I Thinking?, a kind of a follow up to a follow up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-31
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-03-31 00:16:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19038475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arpita/pseuds/arpita
Summary: Bhallaladeva doesn't know how to take no for an answer, and that has consequences.





	Denial

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MayavanavihariniHarini](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayavanavihariniHarini/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Gada Parva](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18930655) by [MayavanavihariniHarini](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayavanavihariniHarini/pseuds/MayavanavihariniHarini). 



> I know Bhalla doesn't have anything called 'redemption' in his characterisation. But then, all characters, for me, are grey. Likewise, all villains might just have one wrongdoing they might not indulge in. This might not be canon-compliant Bhalla, but this is Bhalla anyway.
> 
> So here goes.

For all her resistance, here she was, in Maahishmati, held as a captive in the garb of The King's celebrated spouse.

_**“Kill me if you want, but you shall never have me as your wife.”**_ she had enunciated for Bhallaladeva to hear.

Bhalla had heard, and ensured that she was proved wrong. He knew full well that nothing, - _nothing perceivable at least_ \- would prepare Saurashtra for the sudden impulse of an attack, - _an assault, rather_ \- perpetrated by the reigning monarch of Maahishmati. 

_And what an attack it was!_ He had literally stormed into Saurashtra, striding away on his horse. He couldn’t care less about the few poor sods his horse had trampled, or the handful of people who had bled to defend their palace.

This time, even Saurasena, -the man who so ardently and earnestly sought favours from Maahishmati- had risen to defend Vallabhi, his treasured daughter. But where did an ageing diplomat stand in front of a hardened warrior who would only be defeated by his cousin, Amarendra, now long dead?

Vallabhi had given him a tough fight as well. Her precisely-nocked arrows were quite effective in blocking him, -in so far as they could manage- when he had tried to break into her chambers. 

_Saurashtra did breed good warriors_ , after all, Bhalla had smilingly surmised as a swift movement of his sword undid Vallabhi’s defensive attempts.

Finally, defeated and grounded, The Princess of Saurashtra was captured, for The King of Maahishmati to be espoused. 

 

***

Maahishmati was a blur of celebration when the King made his grand, thespian entry with the Princess who would be their Queen. Conches were blown, and drums were beaten in celebratory acknowledgement of the Royal Couple. 

But to her, all of this seemed a blur, almost a facade she had to endure till she killed herself, or-

_-Vallabhi stroked the dagger hidden in her garments. Her attendant, Saakshi had once told her to wear her defences, just in case she needed them when caught in sudden jeopardy._

_\- “Maata Vaidehi might have stabbed Lankeshwara herself, had she been armed,”- she had said, - “Even women must keep themselves armed, the need might arise when she least expects it.”_

She cast a glance at her abductor, -now her husband- and wished she could put the weapon to good use. 

 

***

‘Bravo! Bravo, My Son!’ Vallabhi saw a maimed man heading the retinue that stood at the palace gates of Maahishmati to welcome Bhalla. 

She made no attempt to conceal her disgust either. If she couldn’t voice her thoughts, she could at least show these people that their King was no conquering hero. 

Bijjaladeva noticed the girl’s scorn, -as was intended- as she dryly bent to touch his feet. The handicapped Royal put up a show of blessing her with prosperity in the form of a hundred sons she might have. 

_I shall not let him touch me,_ -she spat in her mind- _let alone bearing him a child_.

Courtesy was something she was seldom good at, Bhalla knew. And hence, when his father triumphantly congratulated him on his conquest, he merely smiled.

‘Quite a beauty, this one is, Bhalla!’ he exclaimed. ‘Never knew you had an eye for such fine things as well!’ Bijjaladeva was thumping him on his shoulder, only to incense Vallabhi even further. 

On another time and occasion, he would have laughed along, but Vallabhi’s reddened eyes forbade him to concur.

‘Take her to my chamber.’ he instructed the maid standing nearest to her, ‘And make sure she’s well-rested, and well-fed before-’

Vallabhi had already stormed into the palace, throwing customary niceties to the winds as a slew of maids trailed after her. 

‘Some temper,’ Bijjaladeva turned to his son, ‘for a girl that young.’ 

‘There’s a reason why she’s my wife.’ Bhalla said, as his gaze followed Vallabhi. 

***

The panoply of the ceremonial wedding started and ended. Vallabhi noticed that her father had come as well, to bless the new couple for a healthy matrimonial life.

However, as scornful she might have been of her vanquished father, he turned out to be quite the opposite of what she had seen so far.

‘Give him hell, child.’ he whispered as he took her in an embrace. 

She patted his back to assure him that she would make good on her resolve. Bhalla didn’t care to notice their secretive exchange. 

***

Bhalla was overjoyed as he bid adieu to the last of the attendees. His heart raced as he paced away to his chamber where his newlywed bride was awaiting him.

Tonight, he would reconcile every difference she ever had with him. He was too occupied with his marital thoughts that he had even lost memory of the prisoner in his cell. Devasena was too trivial for him now.

He breathed as he neared his bedchamber. He took one final deep breath as he pushed the door open. 

A scent of lavender greeted him, and there she was, a vision, clad in a rather simplistic robe of a very light shade of red, thankfully bereft of any ornaments. Ornaments would only hinder her beauty, he felt. 

‘Told you I’d return.’ he smiled warmly.

‘I knew you would.’ she smiled back, taking him pleasantly by surprise as she stepped towards him.

‘I made a mistake, Bhalla,’ she came even closer to him. ‘Won’t you forgive me?’ 

‘I would forgive you anything, my love.’ he wrapped her in his arms. He couldn’t believe his dreams were coming true in the form of the girl he was holding in such a warm embrace.

He pulled her even closer, as he leaned towards her for a kiss. She didn’t stop him either, as he felt a very slight tremble in his arms. 

Very cautiously, Bhalla placed his lips on hers, he couldn’t believe how soft she felt. She was far softer than he had ever imagined it seemed. Vallabhi might as well have trembled a little more, in this initial ecstasy, he thought, as he felt her shift by a minuscule measure in his embrace. 

_Suddenly, he felt a hard surface lightly brush against his skin._

**‘OH YOU!’** \- he jerked apart from her, breaking the kiss in a flash, realising what she was upto. 

- _ **‘PUT THAT THING AWAY! RIGHT NOW!’**_ Bhalla roared as he angrily eyed the dagger his midget of a wife was holding so dangerously close to her beauteous midriff. 

‘Another move, and you shall find me dead!’ she shot back.

_‘NO!’_ \- he swiftly leapt at her. For all her expertise with her bow and arrow, her husband was, after all, a seasoned warrior who had faced the Kekayas. He was bound to have stronger, and quicker reflexes than she had.

‘Why are you doing this?!’ he asked her as he threw her dagger away. ‘I love you, Vallabhi! What must I do to prove myself thus?!’

‘You love no one but yourself!’ she spat. ‘You took me from Saurashtra forcibly when I turned you down! And I’d promised that I wouldn’t let you wive me over my corpse!’

‘Vallabhi!’- Bhalla tried to reason with her, - ‘Whatever happened is past, my dear. Look around you, you’re the Queen of the most powerful Kingdom in the country-’

‘A Queen to a King who took the throne by deceit and murder!’ an acerbic retort lashed out at Bhallaladeva yet again.

‘So I mean nothing to you?’ Bhalla asked her, still holding her by her arm.

‘You are nothing of the Kumara I’d loved.’ she said, ‘You are just another King who thirsts for blood, and power.’

Bhalla closed his eyes in surrender. Somehow, he found he could not vent his anger on her, when subduing her was child’s play to him. 

‘Fine then,’- he said, - ‘Do what you wish. But remember this,’ he looked at the dagger lying at the far end of the chamber, - ‘You shall remain here for the rest of your life.’

He left, taking the dagger with him, lest she made an attempt on her life again. She could be relentless if she wanted to, he knew.

Vallabhi had once again, successfully kept Bhalla away, which was something she could marvel at.

At least for now.


End file.
